# New York City songs? City songs in general? HELP! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2004, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600 "2004-10-05T03:15:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/41 "2004-10-05T18:17:16Z")
“Stepping Out” by Joe Jackson doesn’t reference NYC specifically, but it’s got a cool driving beat that reminds me of the pulse of city life. The song’s about a couple going on the town - stepping out, of course - “into the night / into the light”. ---
**Author:** ![buncombe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@buncombe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buncombe)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/42 "2004-10-05T18:24:33Z")
Ooh! I just remembered Leonard Cohen’s “Chelsea Hotel No. 2.” That’s going on there. **danceswithcats** , got the beastie boys song on there, too-- somehow I had forgotten all about it. **vd** , that song… scared me. I just might include it. **Moody Bastard** , excellent suggestions, nd ones I hadn’t thought of. Gonna use those too. Am trying to find my copy of the Stones’ “Shattered,” too, **Manatee**. Everyone, thanks. I can always use more suggestions, though… Like I said, no musicals are gonna make the list but everything else can. Oh, and **Sleeping** , thank you-- I had completely forgotten about “Chickfactor” and now it’s going to be the background music to quite a significant part of my project. yay! ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/43 "2004-10-05T18:28:12Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > Another not mentioned: Beastie Boys-No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn And one of their newest songs “An Open Letter to NYC”. Though I think there are other references all over that CD, as the album is titled To The 5 Boroughs. (I haven’t bought it, and am not sure if I am going to.) The only other song I know I’ve heard off that album is “Ch-Check It Out.” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/44 "2004-10-05T18:32:20Z")
More Cohen: First we take Manhattan ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/45 "2004-10-05T20:49:21Z")
Well, if you’re gonna have _Chelsea Hotel No. 2_ you gotta have _Pennsylvania 6-5000_, the phone number of the Pennsylvania Hotel. (Does anyone know if it still is?) And Christine Lavin’s _Regretting What I Said…_ > [@](#): > > And I really don’t want to see your taxi on the 59th St. bridge > flip over, and crash through the rail… ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/46 "2004-10-05T21:10:54Z")
**New York City Cops** - the Strokes. **New York’s Alright (If You Like Saxophones**) - Fear. **Harlem Nocturne** - take your pick. I was always fond of the Lounge Lizard’s version but that’s me. **Take the A Train** - C’mon, I can’t be the first to mention that! and I really think you have to get the New York Dolls in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/47 "2004-10-05T21:49:50Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > What about Fear’s “I Love Living in the City”? Actually the Fear song that would be most appropriate would be “New York’s Allright (If You Like Saxophones)”. As for the **Cub** version of “New York”… it can also be found on a really good compilation from Mint Records called “Team Mint Vol. 1” I just checked and it looks as though both it, and “Come Out, Come Out” are available on the web site… [www.mintrecs.com/mall/index.html](http://www.mintrecs.com/mall/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/48 "2004-10-05T21:52:40Z")
Didn’t They Might Be Giants also do a song called I’ll Sink Manhattan? ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/49 "2004-10-06T00:08:56Z")
"Boy From New York City’, The ADLIBS (dowop) 59th Street Bridge Song’, Simon and Garfunkle ( Everyone calls it Feelin’ Groovie’) Don’t Sleep In The Subway, Petula Clark ---
**Author:** ![partlycloudy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/partlycloudy/32/3114_2.png) [@partlycloudy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partlycloudy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/50 "2004-10-06T00:39:09Z")
Bleecker Street - Simon & Garfunkel Rene And Georgette Margritte With Their Dog After The War - Paul Simon (about immmigrants who come to NYC/ “walk down Christopher Street” etc… I’m a fan. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/51 "2004-10-06T04:50:27Z")
A Billy Joel song not yet mentioned – [_Zanzibar_](http://www.absolutelyric.com/lyrics/view/billy_joel/zanzibar/) TV themes – [_Car 54, Where Are You?_](http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/televisiontvthemelyrics-50s60s70s/car54whereareyou.htm) [_Just Over the Brooklyn Bridge_](http://www.leoslyrics.com/) (recorded by Art Garfubkel as the theme to, appropriately enough, _Brooklyn Bridge_) [_Green Acres_](http://www.maggiore.net/greenacres/gatheme.asp) The title characters of [_Willie, Mickey, and the Duke_](http://www.baseball-almanac.com/poetry/po_stb.shtml) are the three great center fielders of NYC baseball in the 1950’s. Willie Mays played for the Giants; Mickey Mantle, the Yankees; Duke Snider, the Brooklyn Dodgers. And not New York-specific, but all too true for too many residents of any large USA or Canadian city at Christrmastime: Gordon Lightfoot’s [_Circle of Steel_](http://www.lyricsondemand.com/g/gordonlightfootlyrics/circleofsteellyrics.html) ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/52 "2004-10-06T05:01:31Z")
_New York, New York_, featuring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, from the musical _On the Town_. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/53 "2004-10-06T07:58:42Z")
Oh, and **I’ll Take New York** -Tom Waits, Frank’s Wild Years ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/54 "2004-10-06T11:36:31Z")
I don’t think anyone’s mentioned Sting’s **Alien in New York**. ---
**Author:** ![cedric45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@cedric45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cedric45)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/55 "2004-10-06T12:04:58Z")
It has New York in the title so it doesn’t necessarily fit the OP but because no one else has mentioned it yet… **New York City Song** from the movie “Eddie and the Crusiers II; Eddie Lives!” Written and performed by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. A song that really captures the dream of “if I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.” Great acoustic guitar work too. ---
**Author:** ![Roberta\_Plant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c89c15/32.png) [@Roberta\_Plant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roberta_Plant)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/56 "2004-10-06T12:22:29Z")
Native New Yorker - Odyssey ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/57 "2004-10-06T13:53:47Z")
> [@MisterThyristor](#): > > I don’t think anyone’s mentioned Sting’s **Alien in New York**. Err…it actually **Englishman in New York**. It’s ok, it’s probably the blue hair that confused you 😛 . ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_C.Mulligan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3be4f8/32.png) [@Chad\_C.Mulligan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_C.Mulligan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/58 "2004-10-07T08:02:38Z")
> [@buncombe](#): > > The only requirement, really, is that the songs have something to do with this city, be it in tone or hints or outright reference… > > So now I turn to the Straight Dope. Any recommendations for my monster “academic” mix? BTW, I am leaving out Broadway musicals (too many). Non-American songs that refer to NYC are especially prized. If you can recommend one of those, I will send you my super-unique cookies, which taste a little like marmite but are high in charm. No, sorry, I can’t make cookies, but, uh, I will always remember you with awe and respect. > > Thanks in advance! “Welcome Back” a.ka. “The Theme to Welcome Back Kotter” by John Sebastian, ex-of the “Hot Town, Summer in the City” **Lovin’ Spoonful** : Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out, Welcome back, to that same old place that you laughed about. Well the names have all changed, since you hung around, But your dreams have remained, and they’ve turned around. Who but God would lead ya. back here where we need ya? Yeah, we tease him a lot, but we got him on the spot, Welcome back, Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back. ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/59 "2004-10-07T11:05:30Z")
> [@betenoir](#): > > Err…it actually **Englishman in New York**. It’s ok, it’s probably the blue hair that confused you 😛 . Actually, it was the chorus that fooled my memory: I’m an alien I’m a legal alien I’m an Englishman in New York I’m an alien I’m a legal alien I’m an Englishman in New York :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600/60 "2004-10-07T12:15:42Z")
Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-city-songs-city-songs-in-general-help/267600.md?page=4)